


Punishing Pair

by Mightybignein (Blueberryshortcake)



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Beau typical issues, Caleb typical issues, Friendship, Gen, Rated for Beau's bad language
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-29
Updated: 2019-02-21
Packaged: 2019-09-02 03:19:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16778578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blueberryshortcake/pseuds/Mightybignein
Summary: Widogast was a punishment.Beauregard figured that out pretty quick. Some wizard prick from the Cerberus Assembly that was here six of the seven days of the week, long into the hours and guess who’s in charge of watching him?In another timeline Beau doesn't leave the Cobalt Soul to go adventuring and Caleb doesn't have his breakdown.But they still meet.





	1. Dense

It had been too good to be true. Zeenoth trying to force her in line had said to her once a day she had to do rotations as a watcher in the Reserve. She was supposed to be doing full rotations, but apparently there had been … some doubt … about her attention for it and for the sanity of her co-workers. Or whatever. 

It  _ seemed  _ like a sweet deal. Like how bad could it really be compared to the other shit she was stuck doing? Instead of her whole day being wasted she would only have to put up with an hour maybe two while some asshat flipped through ancient pornography.

Except that was too good to be true and she had fucked up. 

It wasn’t like she was trying to be a bitch or anything, but the other initiates and archivists didn’t like her. Tough shit, except she was the bottom of the barrel. 

So after maybe three days of deciding they didn’t like her she started getting the ‘difficult guests.’ 

But fuck them! Fuck them because she only had to do one a day unlike them that were stuck in the archives for the rest of their fucking lives as far as she knew. They could suck it. They could give her the prissy nobles, the ‘I want to speak to the head archivist bitches,’ the occasional horny drunks. Didn’t matter to her. People like that were usually in and out all the faster so joke was on them. 

Then Widogast showed up. 

She didn’t get him at first. Saw him come in though. A guy about her age maybe a bit older, clothing extremely neat and proper. Funny accent. Red hair. Quiet, bookish, non-threat. Topher got him that first day because he seemed easy. 

Topher was fucking pissed by the end of it. Not that she had been there. But she heard the gossip the next day (She had heard other people gossip with each other about it the next day). Widogast stayed nine hours, and as he was a member of the Cerberus assembly which meant he was automatically a prick, or maybe he was rude or whatever? Abrupt?

Beauregard wondered who was being punished when she was officially the one in charge of Widogast. Her, or him for making Topher work a day in his fucking life. 

She wasn’t surprised that the next time he came in he was hers to deal with.

“Beauregard will be with you today Mr. Widogast.”

The wizard looked at her without looking at her. He dipped his head in quick acquiescence.

“Great. Fine. Okay. Follow me,” She said abruptly while rolling her eyes. 

She noticed a side eye at her reaction to him, but he didn’t ask. Just silently followed her to a workspace for him to set up. It figured. Fuckheads she could deal with, she DID deal with, daily, but fuckheads didn’t usually spend the entire day in the library. This guy had Topher tugging out his hair so he had to be bad. The only perk of her one a day was that it was blissfully short, now she had to deal with this. 

Fuck. 

“Uh, ja, so, I need to research rituals from the Age of Arcanum having to do with time manipulation and reality bending--”

Beau gave him a long look. 

He went silent. Watched her cautiously. His eyes didn’t quite meet hers. 

“Is that not allowed?”

She stared some more.

“...Have I missed something?” He asked slowly. 

She expected for him to continue about how he was a very important wizard (which would be bullshit, he had to be only a few years her senior), or how he worked for a very important wizard.

He didn’t though. Just watched her, which was just as annoying. 

“You can get your own damn books.” She replied because fuck this. She didn’t want to be here, she never had. Fuck Zeenoth and fuck the archivist clique that had immediately seen her as shitty. Fuck this guy. 

“I can do that?” Widogast instantly perked up. 

She blinked at him. “Uh.” 

He opened and closed his mouth. Rubbed his neck as if he was reaching for something that wasn’t there. Wound his scarf around his neck a few more times and then undid it setting it down neatly. 

“Do you…” He frowned. Glanced up at her and then back down to his hands. His eyes that had never met her eyes once, but had been pinned to her cheek, or a spot just behind her left ear moved further and further away. “Do you actually work here? Is this a joke?” His brow furrowed.

She scowled. “What’s that supposed to mean? You think I wear this getup because I want to help assholes learn the organization system?” She mentally winced. Goddamnit. She was going too far. She wasn’t angry at this guy, or maybe she was. He was a punishment after all. And she was his punishment. Because he was an awkward shy guy. And they knew she would fuck with him. They knew she’d make him feel uncomfortable and shitty and they were right. And now somehow she’s the asshole. 

Fuck.

Fuck…

Widogast stood up and walked away. 

Shit. 

He’s not supposed to wander alone.

She didn’t really care right now. 

But Topher or one of the other fucks here would probably love to squeal on her.

“Damn it,” She muttered. She followed after the wizard expecting him to make a beeline for the exit. Maybe even talk to the front about her bad behavior. Instead he stood in the middle of the shelves. His eyes scanned over the coding system. He did a slow jog up and down the stacks.

“The fuck?”

He nodded to himself and went into a section. She watched as he gathered a tall stack of books. He walked past her and dropped the books back into his assigned work space. He looked at her, waiting for her to challenge him.

She didn’t. 

He didn’t relax… he just sorta...sagged and then cracked open the first book. 

So he was ignoring her now. Okay, fine, fine. She sat on a chair across from him like she definitely wasn’t supposed to and rocked back and forth. He didn’t seem to notice flipping through the book at an accelerated rate. Probably just skimming. He didn’t take any notes. 

-

She was antsy now. He had been at it for five hours straight, only moving to go back to the stacks and get more books. Just sitting and reading. Wasn’t he hungry? It was almost dinner. But no, he didn’t move. Just sat there and read. 

“Aren’t you at least thirsty??” She finally broke. Fuck. She did not want to spend the whole fucking night here. Widogast jerked in surprise. He looked up at her in confusion.

All he had to do was leave for like half an hour. Then if he came back it was someone else’s problem and she was free to leave.

“Nein?” 

“What does that? What?”

“No, I’m fine.” He clarified and stuck his nose back into his book going back to ignoring her existence again. 

“I wasn’t asking if I could get you some.” She twitched.

“I’m reading,” he told her. 

She breathed in and out very loudly. 

He left late in the evening. He hadn’t so much as taken a bathroom break.

She followed him as he made his way towards the exit. He paused around the desk, and fuck, there was goddamn Zeenoth talking with Soane and Topher. 

“Ah, Beauregard, good. I was looking for you usually you’re out earlier…” 

Topher and Soane looked expectantly towards Widogast, a bit of delight badly hidden on their faces. Not only does she get to look like a jackass, but she gets to look like a jackass in front of her ‘mentor.’ Fucking great. 

Widogast took everyone in, like he didn’t expect all the sudden focus on him. He turned and continued towards the exit. “You were invaluably helpful Beauregard, thank you,” And he quickly left. 

What???

Fuck it was nice seeing the surprise in all the other monks faces though at the compliment. She puffed up a little shrugging her shoulders even though he was basically gone.

“Well you know…yeah. Glad to be of service.” 

Zeenoth’s face slid from surprised to pleased which sort of took some of the magic out of the moment. Still. 

“Don’t know what you were talking about having problems with Widogast, Topher. He was nice to me.”

-

It all backfired of course because as nice as she might claim Widogast was, he was still in the library for long hours. 

So they were stuck together.

Because she couldn’t go back now and say he was a nightmare and that she didn’t want to be stuck with him. That would mean they won. 

She glared at him resentfully when he came back in. 

He pointedly did not meet her eyes. Just went to an empty workspace and began piling up his own books. 

She could be in town right now, or even in some training sessions, at least she could get some of her energy out knocking shit around. 

“Why’d you lie?” She asked. It had been six hours in relative silence and she had no interest in ‘Scanlan Shorthalt’s Guide to the Shawm.’ The writer was more full of it than Zeenoth. What the fuck was a shawm anyway? 

“Mostly the schadenfreude on their faces,” Widogast answered without looking up. He knew exactly what she was referring to. 

“The shadenfuckwhat?”

“They seemed like pricks.”

She perked up. “Yeah?”

He hummed. 

She felt a spike of suspicion. “Bigger pricks than me?”

He tilted his head. Contemplated this. 

“No,” He answered. “But you’re honest at least.” 

Ugh. Fucker. 

Still… at least she wasn’t the only one that could smell the bullshit. 

-

“I just want lunch jackass, can I have lunch?” 

Widogast looked up at her and scrunched his eyebrows. “Then have lunch.” 

Oh. OH.

“You--you REALIZE that I have to stay and watch over you the entire fucking time you’re here, don’t you?” 

“Right.” He nodded.

“And you don’t seem to fucking EAT?” 

“I ate before I came,” Widogast explained missing the point entirely. 

“Yeah, when you came eight hours ago.” 

“Seven hours and twenty-seven minutes.”

“I don’t fucking care how long you’ve been here, it’s too long!” 

“I have work to do, the library is open until two hours before midnight.” 

“That doesn’t mean you have to stay two hours before midnight… fuck, that doesn’t mean you can’t take a break.” 

“I don’t need a break.”

“Okay, well maybe I do!” 

“You’re not doing anything though,” He had let go of his book and was looking at her like he might look at a complicated puzzle.

“Yeah, but I can’t leave you alone or else I get my dick handed to me.” 

He shifted in his seat completely uncomfortable. 

“Alright.”

“Alright?”

“I’ll take that into consideration.” And his head dropped down back into his book.

Fuck. 

-

The next day he offered her a flask of wine, a hunk of bread and some cheese. 

She sighed.

-

Da’leysen he didn’t show up, which was fine with her. It was practically a day off. She wondered if that meant his research was done. If she was lucky. She wasn’t lucky though. He was back the next day quietly asking for her at the desk like he had been told to by her superiors. 

-

She took to going through stretches and exercises shoving Widogast in the farthest corner away from traffic. He didn’t tell her to stop, so at least she got something done. She had haggled Widogast down to two bathroom breaks and a lunch break. It sucked, It sucked so bad being stuck in the library with no one but him, but the alternative was what? Getting lectured by Zennoth, trying to avoid gossip. Reading ‘assigned readings.’ At least with Widogast she could be herself. He didn’t care that she did pushups under the table. Didn’t comment on when she was rude. Even answered her questions to him when she had them. He was pretty guarded, but he wasn't bad about it. Just like, not your business. She tried to glance through a few of the books he devoured, but a lot of it was boring as shit or in languages she couldn’t read. 

“What are you looking for anyway?”

“Ways to create and utilize new sorts of spells and magics,’ He told her dutifully. It was a bullshit answer, he didn’t even pretend that it wasn’t.

“What sort of magic? Time magic?” There had been some stuff on the book she had skimmed out of boredom. 

He gave her a curious look. 

“I didn’t think you liked reading.”

She crossed her arms showing off her strong arms. “I can fucking read, Widogast.”

“I said liked.”

She shrugged. “I like reading when it’s interesting. Not this shit. It’s as dense as the bread you keep bringing.” 

He went back to his book. She snorted in annoyance.

The next day the bread was softer. 

-

He came solidly for a month and a half. Every day except for Da’leysen. 

Then suddenly he stopped coming. 

Which was fine. That was fine. It didn’t matter. It meant she got off earlier. It was better this way. 

She definitely didn’t miss him. He was a shitty asshole. 

So what if he’s the only one in the city that tolerated her presence without it being a monkish duty that he could self righteously give himself a gold star for. 

Fuck him, she was free. This was better. 

But she wasn’t. 

Just meant Zennoth had more time to lecture her and try to teach her how to be a good well behaved monk. She didn’t even get extra physical training in. 

She was inches away from running off. Fuck this. She could travel. Do odd jobs. She was strong. 

But then Widogast came back.

-

“You look like shit,” She looked him over. He walked with a pronounced limp. He was thinner than before if that was possible and there were dark circles under his eyes. He had been gone about three weeks before his return. 

“You look swole,” He said back. 

Beau scowled at the deflection. “What the fuck happened?” She asked as if he owed her any sort of explanation for his absence. 

“There was work to be done,” He answered. He was already heading to their usual nook.

“Did you break your leg?”

“Ja.” his face was purposefully blank.

“Did that have to do with the ‘work’ you were doing?”

“Ja, Beauregard.” 

She was taken aback by the clipped reply. “But aren’t you just like, a researcher or something? Why would you--”

“I’m not a researcher,” Widogast interrupted.

She stopped. “You’re...then what are you doing here every day?”

He turned. His hands curled into fists. As usual his eyes didn’t come anywhere close to meeting hers. “This is my life’s work, but it’s not how I make my living. The Cerberus Assembly encourages study, but I owe them a debt. When I am needed, I go to work. When I am not, my time is my own.” He walked into the stacks not explaining any more. 

Something in Beau’s stomach felt cold. She wasn’t quite sure what it was. Maybe how he said it. Maybe the broken leg. Widogast was a shy, bookish, non-threat. 

Wasn’t he?

-

“So you’re a wizard, right?”

They ate together in their corner. No food allowed in the library, but it wasn’t like they were going to rat each other out. The quality of food had improved somewhat since she had first complained about it. It had to be smuggelable, but Caleb took requests. Fuck she hadn’t had a donut in ages. This was fucking heaven. 

“And you’re a monk.”

“Obviously.”

“I thought we were playing the obvious game.”

“Dick.”

“Yes. I’m a wizard.”

“What can you do? Can you change people into shit?”

“No,” He said not missing a beat. 

“But that’s an option?”

“Mm, ja, but it’s not something I’m interested in.”

“So what’s your specialty?”

“I like transmutation spells… but I have … affinity with evocation.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means I’m good at it.”

“I know what affinity means asshole. What’s transmutation and evocation?”

“Transmutation is very helpful to people like you.”

“People like me?” She prepared to be offended. Maybe already kinda was.

“Ja, buff people like you that can fight. I could make you faster, or I could make your enemies slower.”

“Oh,” She relaxed a bit. “That’s pretty cool…I don’t… it’s not like I fight a lot though, or anything… on purpose.” 

He nodded. He didn’t look like he believed her entirely...which … yeah okay that was fair.. 

“So evocation is…?”

“Energy.” He said. “It does… lots of damage.”

“And is that what going to work is? Doing lots of damage?” She couldn’t help herself. She was naturally curious. That was half of what got her into trouble. Prying questions, knowing shit. But the more you knew the less you’d be surprised when someone tried screwing with you. 

He froze up a little, but loosened after a few long minutes

“Sometimes.” He shrugged. He bent more and more into himself. Beau rubbed the back of her head.

“Cool, cool, cool,” She tried to backpedal. “Do you like, have other wizards you hang out with?” 

“Uh… no.” He glanced at her. “You’re the only one I ‘hang out’ with.” 

She laughed. “Uh, man, this is work, this is not hanging out.” 

“Right now we are though,” He protested waving at the food they shared between them.

“I mean, I guess? Usually people do fun things when they hang out.”

“This is fun.”

“You and I have a very different definition of ‘fun,’ Widogast.”

“What is your version of fun, Beauregard?” 

“Shit, I don’t know…” She took a long drink of water thinking about it. Before fun had been doing the opposite of what dad wanted, not that there was any joy in that, but at least it was her own thing. Now it was avoiding everyone else's bullshit. The highlight of her day was usually physical training, and lunch… ah fuck. 

“Fun stuff, that isn’t reading,” She pushed ahead. “Talking shit.” 

“Who do you talk shit with? Your monk friends?”

Was that a shot because of the implication that he didn’t have any friends either? 

She shuffled and took another bite of cheese. 

“Not really, everyone here is uptight. Not really friendship material.” 

“Mm.”

He didn’t seem to be about to comment further on it. 

But then he glanced up feeling her stare. 

“That Topher guy seems like a jerk.” He offered lamely.

She leaned back crossing her arms.

She knew what he was doing but…

He blinked at her.

“He is,” She said decisively. “Yes he is.” She rocked back on her chair. 

“...Does…” Widogast contemplated, met her eyes for the first time having known each other. “Does this mean we are friends?” 

Beau felt her balance tip and she fell backwards off her chair. 


	2. Trying Times

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beau and Caleb plan to go out for the day. Plan being the operative word.

She wasn’t allowed to get out much, and between her (entirely too long) shifts thanks to Caleb--Widogast--Caleb at the library, training in the morning, avoiding Zennoth, and sleeping there wasn’t much time for escape. Most of the time it meant not sleeping and getting to explore… more the nightlife than any of the touristy spots of the city. 

“You want to play hooky?”

“Yeah, why not? You owe me man, I put up with you every single day.” 

Caleb tilted his head. “You said yourself that this is your job Beauregard.”

“Yeah, and it’s your free time, so therefore you can suck it up for a day and treat me, right?”

Caleb shuffled not looking overly happy about it. “Will you…” He paused trying to form his words carefully. “And that will satisfy you?”

“For a start,” She said slowly cocking her eyebrow.

He breathed slowly through his nose and considered it. 

“What would we do?” He asked.

“Wander around the city without me having to worry that someone’s about to drag me back here.”

“Because they’ll think you’re already here.”

“Yeah!” 

“Hm…” 

“Come on! It was easier to sneak out before I started spending half my day here.”

“Ja… ja, okay, fine… fine.” He nodded quickly her words apparently sinking in. “Tomorrow we’ll go out.”

“What? Really?”

“If that’s what you want.”

“Fuck yes that’s what I want!” 

Caleb fidgeted. Thought about things. “How are we getting you out? You want everyone to think you are here in our corner, right?” 

“Shit, I don’t know...I could climb out the window,” She peered at the musty back window that she could probably squeeze through if she skipped breakfast and parkour down back into the city. That was a good plan.

He looked toward the same window doubtfully.

“What?”

“Okay, how am I getting out?” 

“Shit, right… you’re not athletic are you? Like as part of your job?” 

He gave her a ‘what do you think?’ gesture down at himself. 

“Right… well you could fit through the window…”

“I’m not jumping out of the window for shits and giggles, Beauregard.”

“Okay, okay, alright! What do you suggest then?” 

He sighed. “I...suppose I could disguise myself, but they pay attention to who goes in and out, don’t they?”

“Fuck...no, wait, you just have to be like, a higher ranking monk. No one questions them going in and out.”

He rubbed his head. “This is really what you want?”

“Just one day, come on.” 

He sighed. “We can only try I suppose…”

“YES! Okay. Awesome! So just… just come as usual and then we’ll go with the plan.”

“Plan, ja, okay.” 

It would totally work, it had to work. It couldn’t be that hard getting out of a fucking library, right?

-

“Really?” 

Someone was sitting in their usual corner table, he had his books spread out everywhere. Didn’t seem like he was about to move anytime soon. For fuck’s… godDAMN it. 

“Should we… find another table?” Caleb prompted.

Fuck. 

Fuck okay. And naturally the fucker was in view of the other corner nook. She dragged Caleb over a little ways behind an aisle of books. 

“I guess that’s that,” He said, deadpan. 

“You’re going to let a small setback stop our escape?”

“Your escape,” He corrected. “And no, I’m sure you have a plan.”

She didn’t. But she was good with improvising.

“Watch this,” She dragged him to the nearest table to the rando and started coughing. Loudly.

“This is your plan?” Caleb hissed.

“I’m fine, I’m fine!” Beau replied loudly. 

Caleb facepalmed. “Ja, okay, we’re doing this.” He lowered his head so the man wouldn’t get a look at his face. 

She coughed even louder. “Is he looking?” She muttered between coughs. Caleb tilted his head so he could peer at their opponent stealthily. 

“He looks mildly annoyed. One might even say inconvenienced.” 

“Damn it,” Her voice was getting rough with all the fake coughing. “Okay how would you do it?”

“My way would not be the best way I think.”

“Has to be better than this. Do it.”

“I really don’t think--”

“Widogast. Do it.” 

Caleb stared at her a few too many beats. “It’s not a good idea. Why don’t you just ask him.”

“Ask him.”

“Ja, why not?”

“...” Beau stood up too suddenly. “Alright, okay…” She coughed loudly again so it didn’t seem like she was faking it. By the look on Caleb’s face she probably wasn’t nailing it. 

“Uh, hey,” She rasped to the guy. The guy looked at her not even trying to hide the scowl. Wow, fuck you too buddy.

“You have some water?” She asked. 

“No food and drink are allowed in here I thought.” 

“Right, right, yeah, if you have some I’d have to kick you out.” She did a quick check. Fuck, no food or drink, not that she expected any anyway. Good to check, good to check. 

“So… whatcha reading?” She asked. 

“...That’s not your business.” 

The guy was unwatched so he was either super important, super in the know, or he broke in here and was trying to get forbidden knowledge. Doubtful, but she could work with it.

“Shouldn’t you have someone to help you with researching?” She pressed. 

“No,” He answered hauntingly. “I have a special dispensation from Expositor--”

She waved her hand, “Okay, okay, alright, no one cares--” Damn it, this was supposed to be easy. She turned to look to Caleb who had crouched down low in his chair. Fucking coward. 

“You just asked!” The man protested, his face was getting red in irritation now. “You can’t treat me like this!”

“Hey buddy, I’m just doing my job,” Beau raised her hands. Fuck, she was dying here. He would go to the front and bitch about this for sure--

“--You’re on fire…” Beau blinked not quite believing it. But that… that was definitely a flame crawling up his long gaudy sleeve.

“Excuse me--”

“Hooooly crap, you’re on fire!” Beau yelled. 

“What?!?” The man squawked noticing his burning sleeve now. “FIRE!!” He screamed

“Oh shit, wait--”

In about three seconds flat a bunch of monks with buckets of water had shown up. She glanced for Caleb in the confusion, but he was gone. Some random guy gestured to her.

“I’m busy,” She tried to see over heads to find the red hair. The random guy tugged at her wrist.

“HEY! Fuck off buddy!” She growled two seconds from popping him in the face with her fist.

“Beauregard, it’s me,” The stranger muttered in Caleb’s accent. “Let’s go while everyone’s busy.”

“Fuck...oh...oh shit!” 

The two power walked out the front door while the others dealt with the screaming on fire guy. 

“Hooooolyyyy shit,” She whispered as they rounded the corner out into the streets. She turned on Caleb who after glancing around shifted back into his original form. “Was that you?”

He rubbed his forehead. “I know that man. Any longer and you would have… he is not a good man to be on the bad side of. Best to distract him. He loves nothing as much as he loves himself, I doubt he will remember you after all that.” 

“But that was totally you, the fire I mean?”

Caleb sighed. “Ja, ja that was me. Luckily it didn’t spread to the library.” 

Oh. Ohhhh that could have been really--oh shit…

Well…

They had gotten out.

That was a win.

She was gonna call it a win.

Caleb gave her a very long weary look. 

She gave him a thumbs up. 

He sighed hard rubbing his face with one hand and snapped his fingers with the other. She jerked back as something landed on his shoulders.

“Whatthefuck!” She lifted her fists in a defensive stance, but realized it was a … a cat?

“Ohhh,” She leaned closer again. “Who’s this?”

“This is Frumpkin, my cat.” He said. “He is friendly if you like.”

Instantly she started scritching the cat under the chin. Frumpkin gave a rumbling purr of appreciation.

“Where’d he come from?” She looked up but there was no low hanging rooftops he could have jumped off from. 

“Ah, well, he is... “ He shifted his head back and forth. “He’s a magic cat. He can go away a little while and come back when I like him to. I didn’t think the Cobalt Soul would approve of pets in the library.”

She snorted. “Yeaaaah they wouldn’t. No food, no drink, no fire and no pets. You’re lucky they don’t outright ban you.” She pulled back from the cat and stretched feeling a huge rush of freedom. They were out. No one knew where she was. No one would be looking for her for hours. It was the middle of the day. 

“So what are we doing?” She asked, grinning.

“That is up to you, you said you wanted out, we are out. I have to pick up some fine quality paper and ink, but the rest is up to you.” 

“You have a day out and you want to buy paper? Seriously?”

“I’m running low...I think you will like PumatssSol.” He said extending the ‘S’ in the middle. 

“Who’s that?”

“Well, I can’t exactly call him a unique man, but…”

She squinted. He had just the tiniest bit of a lift on the corner of his face. Which was basically Caleb’s version of a shit eating grin. 

“Is this going to be weird?”

“I need fine ink and paper, Beauregard.”

“Fuck, fine. But I get to pick the next place.”

“Deal.” 

Caleb lead her down through the streets towards the Pentamarket. The city was bustling, people selling wears, going from one place to another, eating, drinking, just dozens of other people's’ lives wandering around them. Beau walked leisurely, hands on the back of her head in a stretch as she followed the prim and proper wizard. She studied his back. He was sorta different out in the open. He didn’t hunch over at all. He stood extremely straight, like a soldier and walked with a confidence which felt… super fucking weird with him doing it. Like he was a completely different person suddenly. Not an ounce of shyness or unsurity. The cat was slung around his neck like a scarf peering out at passersby. 

She knew fuck all about Caleb, still, he got her out of the library for a day. That was worth something. 

They came to a large storefront, gold and green velvet hanging outside. The Invulnerable Vagrant was printed in neat stylized letters. 

“Huh.” She wondered at what kind of shop for paper and ink would have a weird name like that. 

Caleb didn’t pause. Just held open the door so that she could enter. 

A large--large?... 

Beau had never met anyone like this guy. He was a big tall...firbolg? That was her best guess at least, she had never met a firbolg before. He towered over them both and had a bit of a paunch. At her entrance he perked up and offered a slow smile.

“Why hello there, and welcome to the Invulnerable Vagrant--oh, why Mr. Widogast pleased to see you again.”

Beau had never been so stunned before… there was just… something about him...how he talked, how he looked all formed together into one… person. Shit he was amazing. 

“Hallo,” Caleb said as if this was all very normal. “I’m just in for a short trip today. I am looking to purchase some of your fine quality paper and--”

“Ink, yeah we know what you’re looking for,” the firbolg said cheerfully. “You got it me?”

“Yeah me! Mr. Widogast’s usual.”

Beau blinked seeing double. There were two ...of...THEM??? 

They had the exact same face, exact same clothes, exact same intonations. Were they twins? 

“Hello, Pumat,” Caleb waved to the other one. 

“I… thought that guy was Pumat,” She said, coming close and muttering to Caleb under her breath. 

He had that very tiny shit eating grin again.

“Now while you’re waiting is there anything we can do for your friend here?” Pumat asked looking down at Beau. 

“Uh… I’m Beau.” Beau was not a meek person, but that came out just the tiniest bit sorta meek. 

“Hello, I am Enchanter Pumat Sol,” the first shopkeep introduced himself. Another poked his head around the corner--that wasn’t where the second one had gone!

“I am also Enchanter Pumat Sol,” He put in cheerfully. “And this--”

“I myself am also Enchanter Pumat Sol,” The third one carrying a large haul of paper and ink added. 

Okay...ooookay. 

“Is this… is this a wizard thing? Caleb is this a wizard thing?” She poked him hard in the shoulder. 

“Ow, ow, ow.” 

Frumpkin lazily batted at her hand. 

“With respect,” The first Pumat said. “I guess you might call it a wizard thing, but I myself am not a wizard.”

“These Pumats are simulacrums,” Caleb explained as if she would know what the fuck that was supposed to mean. “The uh, Prime Pumat does work with the Cerberus Assembly and because of his fine work he’s been given a boon.”

“A simul...okay...so…” She was still trying to work it out. Caleb handed over a bag of gold and shoved the large stacks of paper and ink into a bag that by all rights shouldn’t hold that much. 

“So they’re all copies of one guy?” She clarified, and then turned her question to the actual man in question. “So you’re a copy?” 

“Magically manifested duplicates,” One of the Pumats in the back offered. 

“Did you want to look around at all while we are here, Beauregard?”

“We have some of the finest magically enchanted items you’ll find.” Pumat added. 

“Uh...okay...yeah...yeah!” She straightened. This was actually...this was pretty cool actually. Magic cow men. Neat. Fuckin nice. 

“What… okay, what do you have?” She glanced around. Weapons, armor, and random items were on display around the store. She walked over to a pair of really nice looking bracers. 

The Pumat sidled up. “Ah, those are what you might call Bracers of Defense. When a person who isn’t in the habit of wearing armor wears them they make it harder for an enemy to get a hit in.” 

“I don’t wear armor…” She said slowly. Wouldn’t those be nice for practice. Zeenoth wouldn’t know what hit him. “How much?”

“1200 Gold pieces.”

“Hooooly fuck!” She staggered back. “Holy fuck, Pumat!” 

“Ja, okay, I think that’s enough shopping for the day,” Caleb took her by the arm and started yanking her out of the store. “Thank you very much, Pumats.”

“Yeah, okay, stop--stop pulling, thanks, okay! Okay!” Fuck what was she embarrassing him or something? 

“Thank you for choosing us for all your enchanting needs.” Beau just caught the front Pumat’s wave as she was pulled through the door. 

“That was a lot,” Caleb frowned at her.

“Yeah, 1200 for some glorified bracelets?” She yanked her arm away.

“I mean your reaction, that was--” 

“1200 gold! I mean, how much was the paper and shit you just bought?”

“200 gold worth,” He replied calmly. 

Her jaw dropped.

“Uh...if you needed paper that bad I could have smuggled you some. I work at a fucking library man.”

Caleb rubbed his cat’s head and untensed. “I need… specific kinds of paper and ink. Magic is expensive if you don’t have a deity or patron to boost your powers.”

“Oh…” She rubbed the back of her head feeling embarrassed at her reaction now. Damn, he could have  _ warned _ her

“So… you’re loaded then?”

“Nein,” He replied without thinking about it. 

“Nein? Come on, you just dropped 200 gold on paper and you’re saying you’re not rolling in it?” Caleb hadn’t struck her as the rich type, and she knew the type, but if he’s gonna drop that much money on paper then he had to be rolling in it. 

“That was all my money,” He replied walking at a quick pace deeper into the market. 

“Wait, you just spent all your money on ink?”

“What did you want to do?” Caleb asked trying to move away from the subject. 

“It’s not like a bad thing if you’re rich,” She insisted. What the fuck was he trying to hide here. The cat was out of the bag, or the hole in the universe or whatever. Why was he acting all shitty?

“It wouldn’t be, but I’m not,” He said. “I--yes I get large amounts at times, but it doesn’t...I don’t…it’s for work.” 

“The paper and ink are for your spy shit?”

“Beauregard!” He turned on her now breathing heavily. His hands curled into fists and for just a moment she could have sworn she saw the gleam of fire. It caught people’s attention which instantly had him shrinking away. He said something she couldn’t understand but had the emphasis of a swear and he straightened up, prim and proper wizard asshole again. 

“What the fuck?” She asked voice going louder even as his went quieter. 

“Can we not talk about this in the open street?” 

“It doesn’t seem like you want to talk about it at all.”

“I don’t.” He confirmed. 

“Then don’t fucking tell me off about shit you don’t want brought up when you don’t tell me you want it brought up!” She threw up her hands.

“Just calm down.”

“Don’t tell me to calm down Caleb, I swear to the Gods--”

“You can yell at me wherever you like!” His voice was rising now. “Just not on the open street.” 

“Okay, fine, fuck it, let’s go then,” She started heading with purpose across the Pentamarket.

“Where are we going?”

“Leaky tap.”

“Okay...okay.” He sounded calmer now. Followed her just behind.

-

They got seats and didn’t talk for a long while. Just focused into their drinks. Just when she thought she was getting a handle on who this guy was he kept… switching things around. She thought she sorta kinda enjoyed his company, but then he got all … like this. Shit. She didn’t know. And telling her to calm down like that, fuck. Just like dad used to, just like everyone used to. She was a grown ass woman. She fumed quietly. 

“I’m not … a spy.” He was the first to break the silence. She looked up. 

“No?”

“No… but… I’m close enough to one that shouting I am in the street could be very very bad for me, you must understand that, Beauregard.”

“Like it could blow your cover bad?”

“It could get into ears that it shouldn’t get into,” He sighed. Took a large pull of his drink and stroked his cat’s fur absentmindedly. 

She wanted to keep arguing, but his sorta distracted sadness took the fight out of her. The adrenaline crashed. She took three deep gulps of her ale. Shit. Fuck. Shit fuck. It was too much. She was too much. But he had--he couldn’t just treat people like that!

Crap. Uncomfortable unsurety rose in her stomach. It didn’t stop her from wanting to know more.

“I’m right that you’re into shady shit though, right?” She peered at him. “Like that shit with the fire?”

He reluctantly nodded. “Ja… sort of...it’s sanctioned shady shit. I don’t… I shouldn’t talk about it really. I didn’t expect you to catch on to it. When I came back I--I maybe said too much.”

“The limp and the fact that you’re you spoke volumes. Didn’t seem like you were hiding it.”

“I guess not.”

She groaned. This was supposed to be a fun day. Then again, what had she really expected? She should probably shut up.

“You’ll still help me though, right?” He asked… hopefully?

“Help you?” She asked. “Since--when have I ever helped you. Fuck, I don’t think I even helped you the first day we met.”

“You didn’t,” Caleb said immediately as if he knew it for a fact. Who remembered that long ago. “But… you do help me… in a way…” He tilted his ale and sighed. “Ah, I’m not very good at this. We were doing this to have a good day for you, ja?” 

“Yeah...that was the plan… I’m not actually great at plans…” She admitted. 

“Ja… well… I like how you improvise,” He offered, lips pulled up just a tiny bit. He seemed like he was on the very edge of telling her something important, but wasn’t willing to let it fall. He thumped his fingers on the table, looked like he was calculating a long string of numbers. 

“We could do it again… if you want… this… without… with less… whatever,” He gestured in between them.

“You really want to do that?” She asked doubtfully.

“No, I like the library, and the quiet there, but you … don’t.”

“I just... don’t like being kept in one place,” She said evasively. She huffed pushing old memories away. “I don’t get it. Why are you even trying?”

“Why am I…?”

“This, doing this, you didn’t have to agree to this. You could have told me to fuck off if you really wanted to. Damn, I’m basically a glorfied babysitter, not like anything changes if you don’t want to… do whatever the fuck it is we’re supposed to be doing right now. I mean… all you need is someone to watch you in the library, anyone could be doing that for you.”

Caleb paused a moment too long, but she didn’t quite know how to interpret it. 

“I like how things are,” Caleb said gently. “And I sense that if I want them to remain the same...I need to…” He stared at her now. Trying to read her. She bristled. He ran his hand through his hair. 

“I’m trying,” He told her sincerely. 

She wanted to ask what the fuck he was trying for. To follow it up with pointing out what a piece of shit she was anyway. How he had enough resources for him not to need to be trying with some random initiate fuckup monk. Trying. What the fuck. Why did he need to try? She wasn’t trying and she was fine. Or… fuck. Maybe she was trying and she was just shitty at it. 

“Okay,” She said not knowing at all what she was agreeing to or with or whatever the fuck they were going with this.

But fuck it, no one had ever tried for her. Least she could do was give it to him. Even if he was as bad at trying as she was. 

On a whim she knocked her mug into his.

“Okay,” She repeated. 

“Okay,” He nodded. “So… I didn’t ask before and maybe I should have but… how are we getting back into the library?”

“Ah fuck.” 


	3. Flags

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beau's questions start piling up. Caleb disappears again.

Beau decided lying was the best thing to do given the situation. 

After a few more hours together, mostly drinking, a bit of window shopping and dinner, she sent Caleb off on his way home, wherever home was for him.

“You’re not going to sneak back in?”

“They’re used to me fucking off. It’s fine. I’ll just tell them you left early because of the fire.”

“Isn’t that the truth? Wasn’t the point to not get caught?”

“I’m gonna parkour back in and say I was napping in the stacks or something.” She rolled her eyes. “They’ll probably believe that.” 

He scratched his cheek and then gave her a nod. “...If you’re sure…”

“See you tomorrow, Caleb,” She raised a hand lazily as he started to make his way off. 

“Tomorrow’s Da’leysen,” He replied. He continued on without another word. 

“Right,” she muttered to herself.

She should head back now. The plan would probably work… but she was out… might as well stay out for a little while longer. She glanced back in the direction Caleb had headed feeling a rise of temptation. 

No, no, she shouldn’t. 

But if she was sneaky about it it wasn’t like he would know…

Fuck it. 

She went off into the shadows and quickened her pace catching sight of Caleb’s form on the well lit street. He continued on in that straight back step of his. After awhile he looped down back through the Pentamarket and towards the Leaky Tap again. He stepped in. What so he was gonna drink even more (without her)? She went up to the window and peaked through. She just caught the edge of his coat as he made his way up the stairs. So he was staying here? He didn’t have a house somewhere? She honestly had expected him to head to the Tri-Spire.

“Excuse me?” 

Beau startled. She turned, pulling into a more defensive pose. A half-elf with shoulder length blond hair and Crownsguard armor had their arms crossed and eyebrow cocked. It was too dark to make out their features.

“Want to tell me why you’re peeping in through windows?” 

“Uh…” Beau hesitated. She was pretty sure she could take this one in a fight if she had to, but… probably shouldn’t piss off a Crownsguard. 

“Looking for a friend. He said to meet him at a tavern. Didn’t say which tavern. But it’s like, you look so stupid going in and asking and then no one shows up--”

“Right…well, move along.” The Crownsguard backed off a little, but it looked like they weren’t going to move from this spot on the street anytime soon.

“Yeah, yes, whatever, doesn’t look like he’s in there… so...I’ll just...” Beau held her hands up and walked away. They didn’t stop her. 

She cracked her neck moving further down the street. Everything was closing down now or was already closed. She didn’t want to head back to the Cobalt Soul, but she didn’t really have anything to do out here either. Man… 

Fuck it, might as well try to get in and face the music. She turned to head back towards the library when a figure caught her eye just down the street of her.

It wasn’t anything really. Her mind just sorta clicked on him. He walked with the same sorta stiffness as Caleb, that’s probably what it was that caught her attention. Nothing else about him really matched Caleb, but she connected the two anyway. This guy was tall, solid, long dark hair tied in a ponytail. She couldn’t make out much more than that. A great sword on his back. His stiff walk was more confident and natural than Caleb. A soldier’s step. That was it. She continued on and couldn’t help but glance back. 

She wasn’t surprised when he entered the Leaky Tap. 

-

“You cannot keep doing this Beauregard.” 

Fuck. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Beau said. She was back in the library it was almost closing time. There was Zeenoth who had a bitchy expression on his delicate elven face. Gods, she did not need a lecture. 

“You do,” He said. “I know you left today. You know you need to report to me after your Zemnian leaves.” 

“I was here all day,” She lied. “You must have missed me in the stacks--wait, my Zemnian?” She squinted at him trying to figure out if he was implying something by that. 

“Widogast. He’s the only person that you watch over. The only person I think the others are comfortable letting you watch anymore. I heard there was a tiff too, between you and the man that caught on fire.”

Fuck. 

“I don’t know what you’re even talking about. He was nearby, we were talking and suddenly his sleeve caught the torch on the wall.” 

“That’s not what he said.”

“Yeah? Well he was too busy with his head up his ass I guess!” 

“Beauregard.” 

Fuck, fuck fuuuck. She wanted to pull out her hair. It was too close to the past. Too close to dear old dad and the lectures she got about her friends--

Friends. They weren’t even friends. Just the criminals that would pass through town and carry off the liquor. Good for a fun weekend. She couldn’t remember the last time one of them even remembered her name. 

She puffed up. Zeenoth was on the more bookish side of the order, but even so he was quick, he could fuck her up with his tricks, tricks he didn’t even bother showing her. She so badly wanted to hit him right now. She wanted to go to bed. Sleep off the alcohol and the unsatisfactory feelings she got trying to pull back Caleb’s layers and being met with a wall of fire. 

Zennoth breathed, calmed himself. Better than her. That’s what his whole attitude was saying. He could calm down when he was in the presence of ‘unreasonable’ people. He could get his shit together and act like he didn’t want to throw down. Maybe he didn’t. He probably didn’t. 

“Speaking of Widogast I want a report of what he’s been researching.”

“A report?” She wrinkled her nose. “You’re fucking with me, right?”

“You are an initiate of our order and because of--”

“Because of Dad’s ‘contributions,’ I can’t just quit.” 

“You are a steward of information. You keep tabs on the information being shared.”

“Aren’t we all about freedom of information and shit? Isn’t that Ioun’s whole deal?”

“So you have been paying attention?”

She crossed her arms. She wasn’t stupid. “You say it enough.” She said. 

“The information we give can be dangerous in the wrong hands. You haven’t red flagged Widogast at all.”

“Yeah, I haven’t,” She replied. She rarely ever had. She could count on her hand the number of times she got a questionable feeling during her watches. As for Caleb… “Should I be red flagging him?” 

“That remains to be seen. He hasn’t asked for any troubling tomes?”

She felt listless. Like this was some sort of trap. To be fair, she didn’t bother double checking Caleb’s books. He got them himself, he had from day one. She wasn’t about to tell Zeenoth that though.

“Why do you think he would?” She pushed. 

He looked at her, vexed. “Beauregard, the side you are on--”

“Since when are there sides?!” She burst. “What the in the hell are you talking about?” 

“The Cerbereus Assembly needs an extra eye. They have very different… ideas of how information should be shared… and how things should be done.”

“Wait, so this is a fuckin’ rivalry thing?”

“I asked you a simple question, Beauregard.”

“And I asked you a simple question back!” What was so wrong about that? She just wanted to figure out his fucking angle. 

It was stupid. Why was she protecting Caleb? It wasn’t like there was anything to hide. Sure he was some sort of shady something for the Assembly, but his research she fully believed was his own thing. His on the side thing. So it didn’t matter if Zeenoth knew what he was doing because it had nothing to do with the ‘scary’ Cerberus Assembly.

Zeenoth pulled in a long breath. Calming himself down again. Fucker. Fuck him, fuck him, fuck him.

“Widogast is the favourite of a … man that our order has an eye on.”

“The favourite?” Her skin crawled at the wording. 

“That’s the reason,” Zeenoth said not offering her more.

“He looks up ways to create and utilize new sorts of spells and magics.” She said just as uninformative as her tutor. “The usual stuff wizards look at.” 

She didn’t know why she kept lying, or at least omitting truth except that maybe she didn’t want things to change--no maybe it was just that she didn’t want anyone forcing their business on them, her and Caleb. She wanted to be left alone.

She had a feeling he did as well. 

“See, that wasn’t so hard,” Zeenoth said condescendingly.

“No, it wasn’t,” She said with false calm. She just wanted to sleep. 

“Keep a close eye on him.”

“Will do.” 

“And… we will let go of your little escapade today, but keep in line Beauregard. You have more eyes on you than you think.” 

She stiffened. “What’s that mean?”

“Go get some sleep.” 

He walked away.

God. DAMN. 

Leave it to him to make her want to continue a conversation after wanting him to shut up the whole time.

She pinched her nose and headed to the living quarters. Her mind shifted back onto the books Caleb looked through. 

Red flags. Caleb was a whole bunch of red flags when she came down to it. 

She stretched carrying on through the near empty hallways darkened for the evening. Everyone got up early here. Gods she missed sleeping in. She thought back to the books she had glanced through when she killed time as Caleb studied. Ancient rituals on time magic. Reality bending. Yeah. Seemed sorta hinky, and just because Caleb said the library was his hobby didn’t mean he wasn’t lying to her. He admitted he was a spy, or at least spy adjacent. The wrecked leg implied he got in fights. 

Her lips twitched up in a smile trying to imagine the skinny ass wizard in a fight. He didn’t seem the type, but he did have those moments of manic energy and rage. Scrappier than she’d give him credit for. 

She moved into her room. There were two beds, but she was the only occupant. She couldn’t even keep an assigned roommate. That’s how much of a shit she was apparently. 

She looked out the window that gave her a view of the Interspred Sprawl. The day came down on her. Fuck. It was so exhausting.

It was none of her fucking business. It wasn’t her problem. She…

Trust was too strong a word. Her intuition told her that it wasn’t the Order’s deal though. If the monks wanted someone to keep a close eye on Caleb they shouldn’t have assigned her to him.

Her curiosities were her own about the wizard and she’d keep it close to her chest. The Cobalt Soul were practically her jailers. They could rot.

But yeah… there was fucked up stuff going on with the wizard. 

Didn’t take a watcher to figure that out. 

-

Caleb wasn’t in the next day, which wasn’t unusual. His usual day off. He wasn’t back the day after though either. Or the one after that. 

Took him two months in which she once again felt irrational irritability at his absence.

Beau had never been fond of wondering. But it wasn’t like there was anyone to ask. The only outside person she knew that had a passing acquaintance with Caleb was the Pumats. Pretty sure he wouldn’t be much help knowing the wizard’s whereabouts. A few times she bummed around the Leaky Tap, just to see if he’d turn up. He didn’t. So he was out of town, or maybe he was done with his research. He didn’t really strike her as the type that would tell her was finished. 

Or maybe it was the outing. It hadn’t gone smooth.

Fuck, but he had promised a redo. 

Not that her mind was constantly on Caleb Widogast. She was forced to be full time Watching if she wasn’t studying. Her physical training had been cut down. Something about discipline to the mind and implications of an upcoming test of some sort. 

Which was all she needed.

So being in the library all day still, naturally, every so often, she would wonder what Caleb was up to. Wonder if he was doing okay. Rather than her assigned reading she took up some of the books she remembered him checking out. It was dry as fuck. A lot of magical theoretical shit. The number of cross references alone made her eyes bleed. 

Zeenoth was getting agitated with her. She wondered how long she would be foisted on the Watchers. Topher and the others were back to giving her the crappier clients and gossiping like grannies about her. 

By the time Caleb came back, if he even did, maybe she wouldn’t be here anymore. 

But he came back. He wasn’t injured this time. He looked shitty though, haggered. Tired. 

-

“Sup?” She asked. He came in, made a beeline for her. Topher had just been about to assign her to the handsy prick from the Tri-Spire. 

“Looks like my ride’s here,” She said before the other monk could get a word out. She hopped over the desk and met Caleb in the middle. Without another word they headed off toward their corner of the library. 

He pulled out some books. He positively vibrated. Excited?

“You look…” Tired? Happy?

“It’s been awhile since I’ve been able to indulge,” He replied. He ran a finger over the spine of one of the books he had gathered covetously. 

Cause yeah, it wasn’t like he was missing her or anything.

Shit,  _ really Beau _ ? What a dumb thought.

“You were gone a long time,” She prompted. 

“I was,” He agreed. “I--” He scratched his head. Realized something. Looked up at her. “I couldn’t…” He gazed at her, trying to decipher her like she was trying to decipher him. “I leave without notice a lot.” He landed on.

“That’s cool.” She shrugged like it didn’t matter. “Were you out of the city?”

“Ja.”

“You travel around a lot?”

“When I have to go to work, ja.” He cracked open his book.   
“That’s cool. I’d like to travel.” 

He didn’t answer, but ever so often squinted at her.

“What? Do I have something on my face?”

“I really couldn’t … send word.”

“I get it.”

He scratched his head. He fidgeted a lot. That wasn’t unusual for him.

“You can summon your cat, if you want to. I won’t rat you out.” 

He met her eyes for the briefest moment before letting them fall back to his book. He snapped and the cat appeared on his shoulder. Frumpkin bumped his master’s cheek in greeting before settling around his neck. His fidgeting calmed. Every so often he scratched the cat’s chin. He gave the smallest little head jerk and Frumpkin slipped down onto the table and went to her, rubbing against her arm.

“Oh! He likes me!” She grinned petting him. She was never allowed pets when she was a kid. There were horses, but they weren’t really hers. Her mood soured a bit thinking of back then. 

A few minutes passed and Caleb sighed to himself. Looked back up at her. “You’re angry with me?” 

“What? What the hell. Why would I be mad? This is your hobby, but it’s my day job. It’s not like I don’t show up if you don’t.” 

Frumpkin trotted back over to Caleb slinked around him. 

“You seem angry,” he told her bluntly. Like he knew exactly the kind of anger she was feeling.

But she wasn’t angry. She really wasn't. She was… sort of more happy to see him than anything. 

Ungrateful prick. 

“I’m not mad.” She said angrily. 

He furrowed his brow at her. Still trying to figure her out. 

“Just fucking apologise,” She huffed. 

He relaxed. Nodded. “I’m sorry.”

“Do you know why?” 

“Nein.”

“Fucker.”

“Do you?” he asked her. 

“Shut up. It’s my own shit. I thought you were going to renege on your promise to break out of here again.” 

“Oh!” He nodded. Accepted that. “I have not forgotten.” He went deep into his book and didn’t pay her another glance. 

Typical Caleb. But it was nice being back to mostly normal. She opened her own book. Way of the Cobalt Soul shit. 

It was so boring.

She started tilting back and forth in her chair. About fifty pages in she was bored out of her gourd. 

“So, hey, do you know a tall guy. Long hair. Great sword?”

Nothing gets you out of boredom than poking beehives. 

Caleb’s head shot up. A flicker of terror passed before his face smoothed into neutral again. 

“Nein,” He lied blatantly, with no remorse for it. He stared at her. Beau wasn’t sure if it was a warning or a plea. 

Was this the guy who ‘favoured’ him? Or his boss? It confirmed to her that they knew each other. That her gut had been right. 

The urge to push rose in her. Curiosity. 

_ Curiosity killed the cat, darling.  _ Her mother’s voice sung to her snidely, her sharp elegant features cold. 

_ There’s a reason you don’t have any friends!  _ A little girl in a perfect frilly dress cried, tears streaming down her face. 

“If you’re in trouble, I’ll fuck him up,” she said casually. Pushed her past roughly out of her head. Not forcing him, but maybe reassuring? “They teach us to fight here you know.” 

He still stared down at his book, but his lips tugged up, then quickly down before going neutral again. 

“I’m not in fear of being fucked up by anyone at the moment,” He said. Stroked Frumpkin, who quietly purred in response. “I appreciate the offer though.” 

“Sure.” She nodded. 

It didn’t take her too long to interrupt his reading again though.

“Hey, Caleb.”

“Ja?” He had a frustrated lilt. He could do with conversation sometimes, but he had a limit on interruptions. 

“Should I be worried about the time magic shit you’re studying?”

He laughed. Actually laughed. It startled her.

“What?”

“We have known each other for months,” He pointed out. “Do you think you should be worried about it?”

“I don’t think it really matters in the grand scheme of things, no.”

There was the smallest pause, but he nodded to her. “There you go then.”

“Is that how I help you?” She asked. “By… not helping? Not giving a shit?”

“...You make things easier for me,” He admitted. “There are people that would… take notice of what I am researching.”

“Like the Colbalt Soul?”

“Would they?”

“I don’t know, would they?”

“Circles,” He said dismissively. “What I’m doing doesn’t have anything to do with anyone except myself. The  _ goal  _ is not to harm others.” 

“Okay.” 

“Okay?” 

“Yeah. I wasn’t really worried about it.”

“You don’t need to lie to spare my feelings, Beauregard. I know you think I’m a ‘shady shit.’” 

She shrugged. 

“So am I.” 

-

The woman came in with presence. 

She wasn’t unbelievably beautiful. She wasn’t done up in rich garments. But she caught Beau’s attention at once. Something about her made it hard to take her eyes off her.

No, she wasn’t pretty, but she had a handsome angular face. Dark green eyes caught Beau’s.

It was Da’leysen. Beau was requested by name in a soft Zemnian accent. 


	4. Wolf Among Sheep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beau needs space from the archive and seeks Caleb. She stumbles on something she wouldn't have expected.

Beau quickly left the room, flushing. Astrid, the woman’s name was Astrid she was… she was kinda her type in a weird way. At first she figured she would be a rich bitch, but she actually came off as laid back, down to earth, super chill. Beau got told to guide her to the private reading areas while Jennah got some sort of super dusty tome for her. Astrid didn’t treat her like a servant or part of the decorations like some people did. She introduced herself, asked Beau’s name. Shot the shit. 

They spoke for about ten minutes before Beau’s superior came back with the ancient text Astrid was researching. Beau was sent off no longer needed, at loose ends. Zeenoth would expect her soon for training, but she had a surge of adrenaline pumping through her that she sorta put down to the horniness. It had been too long since… well… any sort of anything. Getting kidnapped by monks didn’t give lots of opportunities for boning. Even in a big city like Zadash.

It was becoming more and more apparent Zeenoth had no idea how to deal with her other than adding more training which she would skip and more lectures. “Did you read the book I assigned.” She hadn’t. “Did you do the drills?” She hadn’t. Maybe if she drove him crazy they’d kick her out, but then they were still getting money from dear old dad, so probably not. 

Beau left the archives and rather than go back to quarters she went into the city. Fuck it. They get paid, she gets to do what she wants. Everyone wins, right? She was tired of acting like she gave a shit about what they thought. And yeah, that had been her pretending to give a shit. 

She fidgeted. She felt like she had a bunch of energy and didn’t know what to do with it. Maybe she should have gone to training, except if it was books she’d probably scream. What was she going to do on a Da’leysen anyway? Most of the shops closed early. 

There was the Leaky Tap…

She just… wanted to be far from the Archive right now. Just put some space between it and her. Her and Zeenoth. Zeenoth was the problem. And the endless watching. She was tired of people. So yeah. The Leaky Tap. There was ale there, and maybe she’d run into Caleb. He was probably a terrible wingman, but when you’re picking up people it’s best that your friend is the more awkward out of the two of you. 

He’d probably be weird about it. 

Meh, he could suck it up. 

She felt her heartbeat slow as she got closer to the little tavern just outside the Pentamarket. The sun setting. Astrid had come in late.

Astrid…

She wondered if she’d see her again. Maybe she could switch one Zemnian for the other. 

She felt weirdly disloyal for thinking it…

And… it was funny she hadn’t put together Astrid was Zemnian, but it was pretty obvious thinking back now. Her accent was lighter than Caleb’s but it was pretty distinct. Huh.

She entered the Tap passing by a half-elf woman that looked her up and down as she entered. Beau offered her an ill-timed wink just as the half-elf looked at the next person passing into the room. Oh well, whatever. 

Beau went to a corner table and ordered some ale. Her hands were shaking.

Gods she was really worked up. 

She downed her first two drinks within a half hour and was on her third when she spotted Caleb. The wizard came down the steps and headed straight opposite to her towards the staircase down towards the cellar. He hadn’t noticed her.

Huh…

She watched as pockets of people in ones, twos, and threes headed down as well. 

Well… that was interesting.

Bolstered by drink and her remaining adrenaline rush she headed down after noticing the half-elf had left her post at the door. 

Voices murmured down the stairs. 

“This is a place to talk openly, to air grievances. There is nothing wrong with what Idella is saying.” A man said his voice calm, but firm. 

“It’s coming very close to--”

Oh shit.

She had expected a bit more hallway, but her location on the stairs was easy to see to the group of people, and in the back of the group, Caleb who looked like he was about to lose his shit. 

“Uhh…” She looked around quickly. 

“This is a private gathering.” The man who had been speaking before, short with grey thinning hair looked at her guardedly.

“I’m… here for the meeting,” She bullshitted. 

Caleb facepalmed. 

“She’s a friend of mine, Dolan. I’m sorry I meant to mention it before the meeting,” Caleb said. He didn’t fidget a bit when all the eyes were pulled to him. He had a relaxed apologetic air. “I wasn’t actually sure she was going to come, but we can trust her. I vouch for her.” 

The air in the room relaxed. ‘Dolan’ nodded to Caleb.

“We would all appreciate a heads up next time Caleb, but that’s fine, if you vouch for her that’s good enough for me. What was your name Miss...?”

“Uh… Beau.” 

“Beau, a pleasure. I am Dolan and we are the Knights of Requital.” 

Hooooboy. It’s a cult. This is a cult. 

“To start with, maybe you could speak to your… feelings on the Empire. Please, be honest, I promise you are among friends.” 

Of all the things she expected to find in this basement… well… okay… fuck it, she could read between the lines.

“I mean… I’m not… I guess I’m a bit… skeptical.” That was pretty truthful. “I’m just looking for some support, just like any other wayward soul in this crazy town. I’ve never been… huge on … authority, but recently it’s been breathing down my back a lot, and not in the best way.” 

Everyone gave a grunt of approval. She awkwardly made her way beside Caleb, who clapped her hard on the shoulder.

“Glad that you decided to come,” He said brightly. She might be imagining the edge to it. She knew she was in shit with him. 

The meeting continued on with Dolan introducing himself to her, telling his story, and then a bunch of others standing up and telling theirs. Not everyone did. Caleb didn’t. Every so often she felt his eyes on her. 

Afterwards there were handshaking and goodbyes. Dolan came up to the two of them. 

“Usually I would have introduced myself to you beforehand, but your unexpected arrival didn’t give us much time for that.” He shook her hand. He had a strong grip and a trustworthy face. 

“Uh, yeah, sorry bout that. I had trouble finding the place, and even before that I wasn’t sure if this was my sort of thing…”

“Of course, I can understand that. I just wanted to welcome you personally and I hope we’ll see you at our next meeting. I’m sure Caleb will fill you in on it.” 

Dolan gave Caleb a friendly pat on the shoulder. Caleb didn’t shudder away like Beau would expect him to.

“Of course,” Caleb smiled. It looked genuine if Beau didn’t know better. She felt a creeping feeling down her spine. She realized that… this guy… this guy wasn’t actually Caleb. This was a mask. A character. 

Caleb took her by the arm and led her back upstairs. He didn’t stop at the tavern though, he kept pulling her upwards into one of the rooms above. The pleasant mask he wore didn’t drop until the door was closed.

“What are you doing here? What are you--”

She held up her hands. She wasn't about to let him lecture her. He as the one in the weird anti-establishment discussion group. 

“It’s a free country,” She cut him off. “Or I mean, semi-free the way your friends are going on about it.”

Caleb gave her a dour look. “Beauregard. Those people… how did you find out about that meeting?”

She shrugged.

“No! Don’t just--” he mimicked her shrug “--At me. How did you find out about those people. Did someone invite you in?” 

“Seemed like you were the one inviting me in.”

“That was me containing the situation.” He snapped his fingers and started pacing. Frumpkin appeared on his shoulders.

“Listen. I’m not going to rat you out if that’s what you’re worried about. Snitches get stitches, right?”

Caleb gave a soft curse under his breath. He turned to her. 

“This is more… you can’t… just tell me how you heard about the Knights of Requital.” 

“I saw you go downstairs and got curious.” She admitted. It was amazing how he could shift her mood into sour so fucking fast. 

“You saw me?” He stared at her. “You were here?”

“Uh, yeah, for like, an hour.” 

He sighed falling onto the bed. “Scheisse.” 

“I didn’t think you were the anti-empire type, considering your ties with the Ceberus Assembly. Aren’t they supposed to be tight with the higher ups?”

“Anti-empire…” Caleb repeated slowly. “No, you misunderstand.”

“So you aren’t anti-empire?”

“The Knights of Requital aren’t Anti-Empire. They’re pissed off. People in power abusing them. Not letting those of poorer circumstances rise to their full potential because of how much coin they have or what station they were born to. Innocence being thrown in prison without trial, corruption.”

“Isn’t that what the Empire is though? It’s made up of shit like that.” She crossed her arms. Continued to watch him. “Either way it doesn’t seem like a you sort of thing.”

“And you know what sort of thing is a me sort of thing?” He asked.

“Books and Cats,” She said. “Not people.”

He snorted. 

“I can’t exactly disagree with that, but Beauregard, no matter what their intentions are I don’t see you being interested in that sort of group either.”

“Oh, so you know the sort of group I’m interested in?” She shot back. 

“Everyone has their own shitty circumstance. You’ve told me that enough times now. Do you want to change things?” He asked her curiously.

“Change things? No. How would I even do that? I just want to make a bunch of coin and drink a bunch of ale.”

“As a monk?”

“Huh?”

“Make a bunch of coin as a monk?”

“No… no… the monk thing… that’s not going to be a thing I plan to stick with…” She shifted. “But I guess, yeah. I’m not really interested in what they’re selling in the basement.”

“Then you should stay away from them,” He urged. It wasn’t a demand. More of a plead for her to see reason.

“Why? Are they dangerous or something?”

He drooped a bit. Stroked Frumpkin’s fur. 

“I don’t think they’re dangerous at all. They might be one day, depending on the sort of members they pick up, but right now they’re just… people with shitty and unfair circumstances due to those that should be using their power better.” 

“Power always corrupts.” She thought of her father when she said it. “Doesn’t matter where you come from, give someone a slice of it and they’ll start abusing those below them.” 

“Are you going to go back?” He asked.

“You haven’t answered me why you were there.” 

“I’m interested how it’s going to play out with them,” Caleb answered. 

“They seemed to like you.” She said. “Like, you acted all buddy buddy with them. It was kinda creepy.”

“Ja,” He muttered in agreement. 

They both felt themselves come to a natural stalemate with each other. 

“You shouldn’t have given your real name,” Caleb chided her.

“Oh come on, I didn’t. I said my name was Beau. There’re lots of Beaus.”

“You’re the only Beau I’ve ever met.” He told her.

“Okay, but he called you Caleb, so it’s not like you gave him a fake name.”

“...Ah…” 

“Wait… for--really? Is your name not actually Caleb?” 

His attention was firmly on Frumpkin now. 

“Are you serious? What’s your name then?  _ Are  _ you an anti-empire terrorist or whatever?”

“That isn’t--I’m not--Caleb Widogast isn’t my birth name, no, but it is the name I go by now, and it’s the name I answer to.” 

“What’s your real name?”

“It’s not a name that matters anymore. My last name gives me a great deal of shame. I’d rather not go into it.”

“Shame?”

“It’s not a story I’m willing to tell. I don’t ask you about your parents, do I? So don’t ask me about mine!”

“Who mentioned parents?” Beau threw her arms up in frustration. Caleb’s mind jumped through ideas sometimes without actually communicating the in between points.

She was full of adrenaline again. Twice in one day. It was funny, such a similar feeling to how she felt after talking to Astrid--but this was totally opposite. Astrid was hormones. This was aggravation pure and simple. 

Caleb pinched the bridge of his nose. “You have this way, Beauregard of getting me to say things that I would rather not... I’m sorry.”

“Is this your spy-adjacent shit?” 

“Not really. This is just personal shit right now.” His fingers were loosely wrapped around his cat’s tail. “You saw me and came down into the cellar?” 

“I was bored.” 

“Hah. You aren’t usually out and about so early, right?”

“I had a tough day,” She shrugged. She hadn’t really. Just a boring day of watching with Astrid at the end, but the entire day sat badly with her. It was probably this Knights of Requital shit. None of it was her business. It was just an itch of curiosity. Curiosity satisfied.

Mostly. Caleb’s reaction to all of it was overblown. He denied it being his spy stuff, but it had to be, right? Otherwise why would he put on such an act?

“I might go more to those meetings. They’re pretty interesting.”

“Please don’t joke about it,” He frowned at her. 

“You can go but I can’t?”

“Are you really interested in it?” 

“Nah man, I’m interested that you’re interested,” She grinned at him obnoxiously. 

He rolled his eyes at her. “You can do what you want.”

“Yeah, I know I can,” She said smugly. 

He weakly tossed his pillow at her. She deftly reflected it with her fists back at him. He grunted in annoyance. Frumpkin yeowled and hopped off the bed. 

“Wanna… get a beer then?” She offered hesitantly. This was usually the point in the conversation after she had overstepped her bounds that the other person told her to piss off and not come back. Hell, this was usually the point in the conversation where she got super paranoid and stormed off. 

“Ugh. Ja. You’re buying.”

“Why’s that?”

“You’re going to be the rich monk, right?”

“Yeah, I’m not at the moment though.” 

“Well I’m not a rich Wizard, and I didn’t follow you into strange places.” 

“Okay, but you bought a fuck ton of paper, I don’t know if the rich thing is actually true.”

“That was all the money I had, I told you.”

“That was months ago--For fuck’s sake, fine.”

-

They drank contently for a few hours. Caleb’s face went from pink to red after a few too many. He waved off another round. 

“‘M going to sleep.” He told her. “Let yourself out.”

“It’s a bar,” She snickered feeling a few too many as well. He let his head droop into the table.

“Nah, nah, nah, you live upstairs. Go sleep upstairs!”

“You’re always bossing me around, Wulf.” 

“Did you call me a wolf?”

“Was?”

“What? Was what?”

“I’m not following you anymore,” Caleb swayed in his seat. “I should go to bed.”

“Go to bed upstairs.”

“Ja, ja, up the stairs.” He shot up out of his chair and then sat down just as suddenly. “Oh.”

“I’ll help you.” She pulled herself up and lead him towards the stairs and into his room. She pushed him towards his bed with a mighty shove.

He fell on the mattress and curled up facing the door.

“I’m sorry,” He told her. 

“Bout what? The wolf thing?”

“I’m the wolf,” He told her. “Wolf with sheep. I’m sorry.” 

“You’re drunk is what you are, go to sleep.” She rolled her eyes moving out of the room. 

She stretched. It was late. The half passed buzzed feeling was good. Didn’t get around to picking anyone up though. Caleb was a useless wingman anyway. She finally felt relaxed at least. She went back downstairs and through the tavern planning on heading back. A figure shrouded in a cloak stood in front of the door blocking her exit. Zeenoth beside them. 

Aw fuck. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know Astrid got fluffed over, but there's a reason for that. She'll be turning up in full force later on.


	5. Beating a Wall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beau fails a test she didn't know she was taking and receives a letter she hadn't been expecting.

“Heeeey Zeenoth,” She said awkwardly. Her mentor did not look amused. He never did, but right now he was showing more frustration than he had before. His thin lips were set in a firm line. Just in front of him, a stranger blocked her exit from the Leaky Tap. People at the tables nearby noticed and tensed, maybe expecting a fight. 

“Time to go, Beauregard,” Zeenoth said, voice tight.

She almost told him to shove it. Almost. But after all the drinks and frustrations today she realized it would be fucking stupid, especially with the unknown dude. 

“Right. Time to go home,” She agreed sarcastically. “Wouldn’t want to worry anyone.” 

She exited out into the cool night air flanked by Zeenoth and the stranger. 

“I don’t even know what to say to you anymore Beauregard. I don’t know how to get through to you.” Zeenoth said. 

The alcohol was starting to disagree with her. Or maybe it was his words. Word for word one of dear ol’ Dad’s straighten up and flight right speeches. Trying to make her pity him for doing a shitty job raising her. For making it seem like her attitude at being locked up her entire fucking life was somehow hurting him. That he was the victim in all this. It was her fault. She wasn’t a boy. She wasn’t a good daughter. She was too reckless. Look at the cards Beauregard just looks at the godDAMN cards--

“I’m gonna hurl--” She pushed past the stranger leaned against a shop. 

“And you’re drunk. Not that that wasn’t obvious--”

“Zeenoth.” The stranger interrupted. A woman. 

Beau closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against the wall. Why was this day so shitty? Zemnians. 

Or rather Caleb. Fucking Caleb, and his fucking… no… that wasn’t it. It wasn’t Caleb, it was… 

Fuck she didn’t know what it was. 

FUCK.

She didn’t realize she had smashed her fist into the wall until pain blossomed all over her fingers. Owww. Fuck.

“Beating a wall gets results,” The woman told her. Beau looked over blurrily. The hood had fallen. The woman was an elf. Head shaved bald. Kind of hot…

“If the result you want is a broken fist,” She finished. 

“Wow. What a great metaphor,” Beau rolled her eyes. 

The woman took her right hand and gently squeezed.

“Ow! Fuck!” She swept out blindly with her left hand, but was easily blocked. 

“Beauregard!” Zeenoth’s voice could certainly grate… “Brawling in the streets--”

“It’s fine, Zeenoth,” The woman said. She let go of Beau’s busted hand. “You did warn me.”

“She’s not usually this…” Zeenoth muttered trailing off. “She’s usually sober, Expositor.” 

Ex-whatitor--shit that sounded familiar didn’t it?

The Expositor smirked, looking Beau up and down. “I think, Zeenoth, that you don’t know this young woman very well.” 

“He doesn’t,” Beau said before Zeenoth could retort. “No one does.” She added feeling sorry for herself and overshary with the alcohol in her.

She’s friends with a nerdy wizard with a fake name that may or may not be trying to overthrow the Empire. She wasn’t sure he was wrong to want to if that’s what he did want. And he was her best friend.

Fuck. 

Oh gods he really was her best friend. 

Shit.

“I’m gonna barf again,” She groaned.

“You’re going to be fine,” the Expositor took her arm and pushed her forward back onto the street towards the Archive. 

“I was worried about you you know,” Zeenoth told her. 

The fuck he did. More like “worried about the money Dad’ll stop sending if I died in a ditch.” 

“Your Father hasn’t sent any money recently.”

She staggered to a halt. Shit she had said that out loud--and fuck wait. What?

“Huh?

The Expositor got her moving again. Beau’s head swiveled towards Zeenoth.

“He hasn’t… but…” 

“Has it never occured to you that you have potential? Do you think we would really keep a student for the sake of money?” Zeenoth asked haughtly.

“We would,” The Expositor called him on his bullshit before Beau could. Beau’s face felt hot. The Expositor was sizing her up again. 

Beau was lead to her small room. The Expositor was gone. She said something about her not being fit for what they had in mind. Did she just flunk a test without knowing it? 

Hell, did she really care if she had?

Zeenoth was talking her ear off, but it was all blending together. Her head was killing her. 

“I wasn’t sure I should even give you this given your volatile behavior.”

“Volatile? Really?” She said hotly.

“But maybe this is what you need to hear, so that you can move on.” 

“Move on?” He pressed an envelope into her hand. 

“Were you reading my fucking mail, Zeenoth?!”

“Sleep it off Beauregard. We have a lot to discuss tomorrow.” 

The door closed in her face. Ugh. She looked down at the envelop in her hand addressed to her in familiar handwriting. She turned it over. The broken wax seal was her father’s. If there had been a fire lit in her room she probably would have tossed it in right then, but what the hell. It was already fucked up day. What’s one more thing?

She opened the letter.

\--

She woke up feeling empty. Her stomach felt like a bottomless pit. Her headache did nothing to fill the absence of thought. Her heart a black hole sucking in all the anger she wanted to explode. She wanted to tear everything apart and then herself. 

Instead she laughed softly at her ceiling.

He won. After all the shit he put her through he won. He got everything he had ever wanted. And now, all of it, her life, it was nothing. Not to him who kept her locked in that house her entire childhood waiting for something bad to happen to her. Now it didn’t matter. She didn’t need to be locked up anymore. She wasn’t needed anymore. The letter was so … so matter of fact. Like she was an employee being laid off. Not a daughter he was telling to never return. 

And … and it wasn’t fair.

Not that she was left high and dry. She had always expected that. She had always expected abandonment when she couldn’t be contained. It wasn’t fair because he didn’t  _ deserve it. _ He didn’t deserve to find his happiness. He didn't deserve his precious son. Neither of them did. 

He didn’t deserve to  _ win.  _

The letter was still on top of her. She tore it up furiously and pulled herself out of bed. 

So, this was it. She was alone. She was free. This was good, wasn’t it? She could leave? 

The conversation from last night came back fuzzily. Her parents hadn’t been paying the monks for awhile… Zeenoth opening her fucking mail.

She didn’t have to be here anymore. 

She took a sack and started filling it with what she’d need. She wasn’t going to stay here. Not now. She wasn’t going to put up with another lecture from Zeenoth. Not when he had no power over her anymore--and really he never did did he? She could have left before. There was just a stupid part of her that thought maybe--

Maybe the dumb eight year old inside her thought he’d see--

Didn’t matter. 

He didn’t.

There was someone stationed by her door. A messenger. The kid looked up and told her Zeenoth wanted her.

“Of course,” She smiled at him. He smiled back and ran off for his next gig. Her smile fell off her face. She headed off to the exit. 

\--

“Caleb, open up! Caleb!” She knocked. “Caleb!!” She knocked again. “Caleb!!”

“What?” The wizard opened the door rubbing his eyes, his hair sticking up at odd angles from sleep. He was obviously still feeling the liquor from last night. He took her in. Noted the bag on her back.

“You’re going somewhere?” He slowly straightened and pulled the door for her to enter. She didn’t

“Yeah I’m fu--I’m leaving town. I told you the monk shit wasn’t going to last, right?”

He nodded. “This is just… sudden.” He replied slowly. “Did something happen?”

“No… something finished. Anyway I figured I should tell you. You know. So you’re not surprised when they assign someone else to you… or whatever.”

“Oh… okay…” He said slowly. Frowning. 

“You’re not going to stop me?”

“Should I?”

She sighed.

He scratched his chin that was dotted with stubble. 

“You know, I just thought after all this time you might--”

He turned from her rummaging through his things. 

“Right, should have guessed. Anyway. Nice knowing you--”

He came back to her with a map. 

“What’s this?”

“A map.”

“Caleb.”

“Where are you going?” He asked. 

She shrugged. “I was just going to follow the road.” 

“If you follow the road to Felderwin I’ll come with you.”

She stared at him. “Huh?” 

“Ja. I have to go that way. If you’re going that way I’ll come with you.”

“...Why?”

“I have to go that way.” He repeated. “I was going to leave later but...” He shrugged. 

“So it’s just ‘cause you have business.” 

“Ja, that’s what I said. The road is dangerous. I’m squishy.” He turned and started stuffing things into a satchel. She hadn’t noticed the first time up here, but he didn’t have a whole lot. Just enough to shove into a bag. 

“Just like that?”

“...Unless you don’t want me to come with you?” He said slowly. He turned to her a slight frown on his face, like he just realized he might have overstepped something. 

“No! No. This is good. You’ve been traveling. I could use a guide.” She rubbed the back of her head. He untensed a bit. Nodded and continued to pack. 

“Have you eaten?” He asked. “I need to change.”

“Right, meet you down there.” 

She slowly went down the steps a little stunned. Just like that she had a traveling companion. And knowing Caleb he really wouldn’t be coming with her if he didn’t have business in the direction she was heading, but… 

It was still nice. Not leaving this place alone. 

She ordered a plate of bacon. Caleb soon joined her, his bag slung over his shoulders. His clean fine coat was gone replaced with a patchy number that was too big and had a bunch of pockets. 

“You look like a hobo.” 

“Ja, well, it’s comfortable,” He said defensively taking a piece of her bacon. She scooped up the rest with a napkin and put it in her pocket. Then paused taking out another piece. “Hey get Frumpkin.”

Caleb snapped his fingers. The cat appeared. She offered him the bacon. Frumpkin stared at her blankly. 

Caleb smiled. He covered it behind his hand, but she had caught the beginning of it. 

“Go on, don’t be rude,” He told the cat. 

Reluctantly Frumpkin took the piece of bacon and chewed it looking every now and then at the two humans as if to gage them. 

“What cat doesn’t like bacon?” Beau snorted. Caleb paid up his fees and they went out the door. 

“He doesn’t really need to eat, he likes to though,” Caleb replied. Beau was pretty sure the cat had no desire to eat and was probably just trying to please Caleb.

They set off down the street in a bit of an awkward silence. Beau was the first to break it. 

“So this is nice. I mean, that you can just take the time out of your work…” 

“My business in Zadash isn’t work, and if I’m needed my people know how to find me.” 

“Magic?”

“Of course.” 

“Seems sort of creepy. Like if people always knew where I was I’m pretty sure I would get pretty sick of it.” 

“Not being able to hide,” Caleb nodded.

“I’m not hiding.”

“I didn’t say you were.”

“You implied it.”

“Are you then?”

“I’m leaving. I’m not hiding. Are you hiding?” She shot back.

“I can’t. I just told you that.” 

She was about to call him on it, but she wasn’t sure why. As if for just a moment she was certain that was bullshit and he was hiding from something. Her brain’s been fucked since yesterday.

“Whatever.” 

She had only been at the outer walls of Zadash once on entering the city, and at the time she had been busy yelling at the monks that had kidnapped her. Now it was hard to miss, the … absolute poverty everywhere you looked. She thought of the Knights of Requital. Maybe they had a point. 

A little boy came up to them holding up a cup. She threw him a silver. He quickly ran back to his mother who nodded in their direction. 

“Nice place Zadash. I don’t think I’ll miss it,” She said. 

“No?” He looked back towards the dwindling shacks, and the city walls. 

“No.” She said firmly. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In true m9 fashion Caleb and Beau head off away from the main action. Don't worry Astrid, the Knights, and Burning Man (hah) haven't been forgotten.


End file.
